Little Moments: 100 Themes
by Lillie Bell
Summary: Joining in the 100 themes contest. Small, not always as short as I'd like them to be, drabbles about married life. UsaMamo.
1. 41: Jacket

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#41: Jacket  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of anime production agencies, not I. Also, the National Inquirer, Hazardus Materials, Tin Man, and jiffy-puffed marshmallows are subsequently not owned by me.

* * *

Usagi had just made it out of the check out line and steered her cart to the wall next to the doors leading out of the grocery store. Though her cart only contained six bags of groceries, all precariously sitting in the infant seat of the cart, the buggy itself was full of layers of clothing and one large winter jacket. Her ski pants swished as she pulled a thin sweater over her head, covering the light jacket she already had on. Another thicker sweater followed before she pulled on a few more layers until she finally came to the large jacket in the cart. 

To say winter had hit Tokyo would be an understatement. With the climate, it was cold enough to snow, yet sheets of rain poured into the streets outside the fogged window of the store. Usagi scowled slightly, tugging her already bulging arms into the jacket. Due to the sheer plumpness of her form encased in protective layers of clothing, trying to move her arms in front of her in order to zip up her jacket was proving a problem.

With a grunt, she tried for the umpteenth time to squeeze her arms together, fighting against the large jacket that was acting more as a HazMat suit than insulator and the other twenty pounds of cotton and wool on her body. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth as she finally gained purchase of the zipper and its fastener. With a deep breath, she began the process of forcing the two into one another and zipping up the warm, though increasingly time-consuming, jacket.

A noise from behind her had her turning. She pouted slightly, heaving a "Mama" at the woman behind her. She had come upon her mother shopping and they had talked for much longer than Usagi had intended to stay. Due to the cold and an increasingly harried schedule at school, the two had not had their usual dinners to catch up. As nice as it was to see her mother again, now she was late getting back and Mamoru would be out of his classes. She had missed the few minutes he could spare to sit with her before plowing through his homework on the dining table.

Ikuko clucked before pulling her own astronaut-type jacket around her. She gave her daughter a mischievous wink before suggesting that they each zip up the others' jacket. Usagi's blue eyes brightened at this and the two set forth upon their work. The blonde zipped her mother's jacket first because it seemed Ikuko had dressed warmly and did not need the thousands of pounds of fabric that Usagi was sweating under in the heated grocery store.

Once properly attired for the walk home, the two flipped up each other's hoods and handed the other their groceries. With cheerful calls muffled by the many layers of cloth and the zippers of their jackets being up their chins, the two women headed in their respective directions.

With grocery bags hanging from her arms and looking like a perfect impression of the Michelin man, Usagi trudged toward the apartment she shared with Mamoru. The wind picked up and splashed the chilling rain in her face as she continued her journey. The sun had already left the sky and the night was growing colder by the second. With chattering teeth, Usagi started in what could only be described as a moon-jog toward her apartment complex. With puffy ski pants swishing with each thrust of her leg, which came at small intervals due to the sheer size of the pant leg, she truly did resembled astronauts on the first moonwalk. The groceries flopped against her body, but all the layers absorbed the impact and Usagi only felt the bone-chilling cold as she made her way through the night.

* * *

The doorman stopped for a moment, fearful of alien invasion when he caught his first glimpse of her. The aluminum foil colored astronaut jacket she wore certainly didn't help such a claim. The poor man was dead set on writing to the National Inquirer or hiring a shrink when a wisp of long blonde hair snuck from the confines of her hood and in the sudden light of the doorway he caught the glimpse of her face hidden in the recesses of her hood. 

"Chiba-san," he greeted with a strange smile on his face that Usagi, not happy about being late, didn't take the time to understand. She huffed straight to the elevator before seeing that it was out of order and promptly took to the stairs.

"Penthouse level, Mamo-chan," she growled, having finally made it to the top of the staircase. She pushed open the door and did the moonwalk to her door. As hoped, her dear husband had left it unlocked. With a little juggle of the bags, trying to keep them from shooting down her arms and into the door, she managed to get into the apartment unscathed.

"COLD!" she declared and proceeded to bounce to the thermostat. Mamoru, who had been quietly studying at their dining table, his books strung around him like a flanking army, looked up at his little wife.

His eyes bulged seeing her marshmallow-like form. She seemed to be hopping from one foot to another in some sort of industrial suit as if she'd just come from a nuclear factory. One that emitted beta rays, he noticed absent-mindedly, taking in the aluminum color. In fact, were it not for her voice, he wouldn't have recognized the bouncing blob that had just raised the thermostat from a modest 50 degrees (Fahrenheit) to the squelching 80-degree maximum. The man squirmed as the heater ripped to life in the small apartment, clearly fearing the wrath of his energy bill.

When she finally stopped bouncing, he snuck out of his barricade of textbooks, with her entrance he'd settled with a stalemate, and made his way over to her. In normal circumstances, he would have kissed her in greeting, but beneath the hood he wasn't sure where exactly _she_ was. So, he opted to take the groceries from her jiffy-puffed arms and move into the kitchen.

She hopped quickly behind him, horribly aware that she was leaving small puddles of water in her wake and wanting to get to the nice tiled kitchen where it wouldn't damage the floor. Mamoru sat the groceries upon the countertop before turning to her and raising an eyebrow. Seeing a small ripple of movement from her shoulder area, he assumed she shrugged.

"Quit staring and help me with this," she grumbled when a small simper flashed across his face at her attempts to once again clutch the offensive zipper at her nose. With her declaration, the smile went into full-blown, though slightly devilish, wattage and Usagi thought she might be blinded in the light. Not that she was complaining, but the reflective surface of her suit, reflecting his dazzling smile, could have blinded all of Tokyo, too.

And so Mamoru set out on the impossible task of reclaiming his wife from the silver-colored tin-man she had become. The zipper came off easy enough, it was shrugging her out of the jacket that was causing such a problem. The abominable creation had constricted around her arm due to all her layers and took all manner of tugging to get it off. As luck would have it, Mamoru tugged and when the jacket finally gave released, the two of them stumbled back a few paces because of the force. _One layer down, twenty-three to go._

With a sigh and a wipe to his forehead, Mamoru shrugged off his sweater and continued to work of the rest of her layers. Usagi, on the other hand, greatly enjoyed the sight of the simple T-Shirt he now wore. Suddenly, she came to a frightening conclusion.

Mamoru, tugging off the first thick sweatshirt, noticed his wife's approving gaze turn to a scowl. He kissed her lips in an attempt to dissolve such a look, but only succeeded in having the scowl directed at him. He gently set the sweatshirt on the mound of jacket that was on the countertop before peeling the next layer off. If he was patient, she would tell him.

"I never see my husband in the winter," she pouted as Mamoru grabbed the bottom ends of her thick sweater. At his confused look, she continued once the sweater was over her head. "You're always in a sweater."

Mamoru smirked before going in for the next layer. "You're one to talk. Three layers, Usako?"

She crossed her arms after he slipped the thin sweater off of her ever-decreasing body mass. He simply kissed her and finally appeared to be getting somewhere with the clothing. He recognized the small sweater-jacket she wore as the one she would walk around in when she was cold. Instantly, he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and not the kind that signal a train was heading that way.

Content that only one layer was between him and his lovely wife, he moved to her ski pants. He chuckled as he noticed that its legs were larger than his before pulling the puffy, waterproof pants off. She stepped out of them as he held them on the ground and he looked up to see what manner of clothing he was going to have to remove next.

Expecting to see a pair of jeans of khakis, or knowing how the whole ten-thousand shirt layer had gone perhaps a pair of sweatpants over another pair of pants, the red skirt with little pink hearts in it and white knitted stockings encasing her shapely legs caused him a great deal of surprise. Add to it that the skirt put even her senshi uniform to shame in its shortness, and Mamoru felt a very strong nosebleed about to occur. Somehow, he imagined the sudden heat in the room wasn't just because the heater was gaining on the 80-degree mark.

He stood up and roughly swallowed his tongue as Usagi giggled and removed her final jacket. A pink top the stretched across her shoulders and melded to her curves greeted him and finally her entire outfit was complete. If his glazed eyes were any indication, she'd say that she had his attention. With a chuckle, she went to the freezer and grabbed a crescent shaped ice cube. She gently pushed him out of the kitchen, tiptoeing around puddles of water, proclaiming the need to have dinner ready. When he turned to disagree, the ice cube went straight into his mouth.

Nothing brings you out of a daze better than a brain freeze, or at least that's what Mamoru found as he was shoved towards his neglected battle. With a final, shameless pat to the derriere, Usagi started dinner and Mamoru started at the mound of books and paper on the table. When he turned to grumble something incoherently through the ice cube in his mouth, the words stopped short. Usagi was crouched on the kitchen floor, back to him, mopping up the puddles she made with paper towels.

No, that skirt was infinitely times shorter than the senshi one, he concluded.

He sucked on the ice cube once more, draining as much cold in a given instant as possible, before turning and making his way back to his books. He crunched loud on the cube when he couldn't get his mind settled around the medical schools books before him. Through the partition in the wall, he caught a glimpse as Usagi moved to throw away the paper towels. Another crunch when she bent to dorp the wet towels in the trash, and she turned, winked at him, and began pulling out pots and pans for dinner.

A third crunch had completely decimated the ice cube and led to a string of giggles from the kitchen. Mamoru closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and plowed into his textbook offensive with a new vigor.


	2. 18: Death

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#18: Death  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't have any chance of owning Sailor Moon, I've come to terms with that and so should you. )

* * *

Chiba Usagi couldn't remember waking up so quickly in her life. She heaved a deep breath and was instantly transported into the living world from her dreams. A tired hand placed itself upon her forehead, and she stared at the ceiling forlornly for a moment. Blue eyes turned uncertain as her mind recalled the day. Today was the day they would visit his parents. Having been in a relationship with him, she had performed this task at least three or four times before, but this was different. She wasn't his girlfriend anymore; she was his wife. 

As she lay in the cold bed she realized she'd never woken up to him on this day. She chanced a glance at him and saw he on his side, back to her. A few more minutes of quiet observation let her know that he was indeed awake. Timidly, she turned to him and pressed a warm hand to his cold, naked back. The muscles beneath her palm tensed in surprise before relaxing slightly. She took this as an invitation and quickly brought her body to his, wrapping around his back and clutching the hand she felt for on the other side.

They hadn't talked since two days ago. A strange trepidation held thick in the air last night, halting all conversation, both knowing what today would bring. She nuzzled the nape of his neck gently, barely kissing his cold skin, as she held him tightly. Her legs curled beneath her until she was molded to him completely. She held him gently but securely as he stared, unseeing, at the wall before him. The hand she held squeezed gently around her fingers in appreciation.

She watched the darkness give in to the growing sun as the shade of their bedroom changed with the oncoming day. Eventually, he moved out of the bed, her hand still clasped tightly within his own. He stood, his back before her, before turning slowly and kissing the knuckles of the hand he refused to release. In any other case, such an action would have initiated a blush from the blonde, but his actions today seemed so forlorn that it only caused her heart to ache more for him.

She never realized how hard today truly was for him. She watched him gently release her hand and stalk to the closet slowly. All his movements were careful and deliberate, like he had to actually fight against himself for every step he took. He dressed awkwardly, aware of her stare, before leaving the bedroom completely.

An uncomfortable air lay around her, and she drowned in it for a few minutes. The waft of freshly brewed coffee hit her nostrils and she finally dragged her self out of bed. Her nightgown hit the floor with a flourish and she sashayed to the door. Sticking her head around the doorframe, she caught sight of two cups on coasters on their dining table. Coming closer she heard the sizzle of breakfast, and decided to leave him to the task. She took her usual seat and noticed the cradle of sugar and creamer he had left near her steaming cup. She blew at the cup, moving her unruly hair from her face by gathering it together and twisting it behind her, before setting about making her sugar-coffee concoction.

By the time her hair succeeded in sneaking out of its momentary confine and her coffee was cool enough to drink, Mamoru set down her plate before taking his seat and starting into his coffee. They both drank silently, waiting for the breakfast to cool to a more edible temperature. She kept the corner of her eye trained on him as she peered straight out the balcony doors to the day ahead of them. He turned slowly to look outside as well, both realizing they had missed the sunrise this morning.

They had made a small tradition of rising to greet the new day together. With coffee in hand, and sometimes the newspaper or even a textbook, the two would stand on the balcony and watch the world start anew with the sunrise. It was refreshing and she loved the feel of his arm around her on those crispy cold mornings when the slim nightgown offered little warmth. In those moments she felt the most peace. The world was right as long as she could wake up every morning with him, and their ritual proclaimed to the world that another day would be spent together.

This day set all their routines on edge, she realized as she heard the familiar scratch of his fork against the plate. For one, neither would be present at their respective schools. The only other time Mamoru had taken time away from school was for their honeymoon, though the man had the gall to bring a cluster of textbooks with him. Well, Usagi had found a very good way to keep his attention those two weeks.

The smirk that under normal circumstances would have risen upon her face just couldn't make it there today. Their honeymoon seemed so long ago now, though they had scarce been married for four months. Her heart ached from the lack of his attention as of late, however it was not angry. In his position, she would fair much worse.

"Your food will get cold," he said softly, barely above a whisper.

Startled from her mindless staring out the balcony windows, she turned blinking eyes to his lowered head. He continued to eat as if nothing had been said and she almost believed she imagined it. She looked down to her breakfast and sighed, picking up the fork and mechanically shoving it into her mouth. He would worry if she poked at her food, though it felt starchy and without flavor mouth, as she felt the need to do. Finally, she decided to simply not chew and cut small enough pieces to swallow it whole. It was hard to discern if the food was bad because of her present mood or his when he'd made it.

He waited for her to finish before gathering up their dishes and pouring a new cup of coffee. She watched him through the partition as he ran the water and began to scrub the dishes clean. With a deep breath that sounded more akin to long suffering sigh, she made her way to the bathroom.

* * *

"Here we are, two lilies," the florist said with more enthusiasm than was necessary. Mamoru grabbed the two flowers and handed over his money. Usagi reached and pressed her hand into the small of his back from her position at his elbow. Once the transaction was complete, the two made their way out of the shop and into the bustling streets of Tokyo. The blonde took a moment to open the large umbrella before her husband took hold of it and she grabbed his arm and they headed off for his parents in the pouring rain that cleansed the city.

She held the large umbrella over the gravestones as he methodically cleaned them of debris and the lilies from last year. He left the earth around the tombstone growing with plant life. She realized she had never noticed this habit in her prior visits. He left the plots of land to grow, thus there was a small myriad of wildflowers growing about the area and the grass was tall. He pulled a pair of scissors from his pocket and meticulously trimmed the grass to a height that allowed for reading the tombstone but left the grass at an uncommon height.

He squatted with one knee upon the wet ground, and she squelched the thought of getting out the mud and grass stains from his khakis, as he continued to work. A fierce wind picked up and drove rain into the two of them, her bent over with the large umbrella from behind the tombstones, skirt and raincoat flowing in the wind, and him knelt before the stones, cleaning them with careful hands, his waving hair the only indication that the wind even reached him.

Finally pleased with the states of their graves, he stood and reached out for her hand. Not used to this part of the routine, she accepted as he maneuvered her between the graves to stand next to him. He grabbed the umbrella from her and wrapped an arm around her. She was watching the tombstones and was surprised when he nuzzled her temple, kissing her at the hairline just above her ear. He stayed there for a moment before he softly whispered, "Forgive me."

She turned to him swiftly, staring into the familiar blue eyes that could finally hold her gaze. He lent down and barely pressed his lips upon hers. Though it was a whisper of a kiss, her heart beat erratically at the caress. All the hurt and sadness in her heart disappeared in an instant, swept away by his love as it always was. He curled his hand around her waist and held her tightly to him. Her small hands reached for the lapels of his coat and she pressed her face into his neck as she felt him do the same.

They stood like that for quite some time, simply soaking in their love. Mamoru broke the embrace, kissing her neck at the collar of her raincoat before finishing. His arms fell slowly from around her and she shivered at the sudden loss of warmth. One arm was slow in leaving, though, and he trailed it down her arm until he could clasp their hands together. He smiled gently and kissed her nose before handing her the umbrella and grabbing the lilies from the ground.

She bent and helped him press the white flowers into their holders on the graves. He smiled at her and circled an arm around her waist, assisting her up and taking the umbrella once more. He bowed his head slightly to the gravestones before tightening the hand at her waist. She followed him without question out of the cemetery.

It seemed the traditional talk with his parents had been forgotten as well, though some new understanding had been reached.

* * *

Chiba Usagi woke with the chattering of birds poking at the bird feeder that hung outside their bedroom window. She stretched lazily as sleep beckoned her into its warm folds again. For a moment, she felt uncomfortable, as if something strange had occurred and driven her from the lovely dream world she inhabited. The sudden appearance of two strong arms around her form corrected this, however, and she nuzzled the warm chest beneath her cheek. With the world righted once more, the blonde fell into a deep slumber though she knew Mamoru would wake her shortly to brew coffee and watch the sunrise. 


	3. 24: Dragonfly

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#24: Dragonfly  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is owned by her creator, Naoko Takeuchi, and the anime productions companies. (Forgive the passive voice.)

* * *

"That one's ugly," Usagi said, her nose and lip curling up at the sight of the brown dragonfly.

"Oi, I think you hurt its feelings, Usa," Mamoru chuckled as the dragonfly hastily flew away from the park bench. They watched it zoom away before taking a seat on the bench together.

"Well, he was ugly. I like the green or blue ones," she chattered happily as a warm breeze fluttered through the park from the lake. Her hair danced as she turned merrily to her husband. "He's never going to get a date looking like that."

"I don't think he's looking for a date, Usako," he said softly.

"Why not? I thought all bugs were concerned with was procreating?" she asked, her face scrunching in contemplation in a way that always made his heart melt.

He smiled at her, kissing her temple, "He doesn't have to date to procreate."

Obviously this was not the thing to say because his small wife's blonde eyebrows crawled into her hairline. "Mamo-chan!" she screeched.

When he continued to look at her dumbfounded, she frowned and crossed her arms. "What a chauvinistic thing to say," she huffed.

"You said they only had procreation on their minds," he pointed out, treading softly. He knew that look on his wife's face and if he wasn't careful he was getting the couch as his companion tonight. Who would have thought a bug's procreating success would endanger his own.

Usagi, thankfully, seemed to mull over this one for a bit. She saw the desperation on her husband's face and knew he was imagining the couch he'd already slept on once this week. That was just for jokingly saying they could spray paint BEWARE on Rei's face.

And suddenly her face lit up and she jumped off the bench, stucking her hand in the air in her excitement. "Yoshi!"

At her husband's blank stare, she smiled dangerously, blowing him a kiss a la Sailor Venus style before rooting around in the bag at the edge of the bench. She missed his blushed at her very open flirting, but caught his attention as she stood from the bag. She had pulled out a can of leftover spray paint from an art project that had been due last week. She knew someone better than Rei that could use the pastel blue with metallic bits to add a little coloring to his/her otherwise less than sparkling personality. Correction, some_thing_.

With the same smile, she grabbed her husband's hand and darted after the offensively colored dragonfly, uncapping the spray paint and shaking the contents as she went along the path. Mamoru followed(/was dragged) with husbandly acceptance of his wife's oddities. He only hoped he could catch her before she was able to give the ugly bug a much needed "make-over."


	4. 50: Advertisement

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#50: Advertisement  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. I barely own anything at all. Also, I don't own who shamelessly aided to the strange situations in this ficlet.

* * *

He'd been staring there for a good ten minutes and she was getting anxious. Their plane was due to depart soon and he just insisted on taking up time staring at a sign for the bathrooms.

"If you have to use the bathroom," she squeezed out between her teeth. "Use it now, please."

This declaration seemed lost on her husband of 12 hours. She huffed and grabbed the small duffle bag, slinging it over her shoulder. She tugged on his hand hard, effectively off balancing him and he stumbled in her direction. When confused blue eyes blinked at her own she whacked him not so nicely on the head.

"Mamo-chan no baka," she grumbled.

He rubbed his head and picked up his own duffle bag before grabbing her hand and working their way farther down the terminal. Usagi grunted once again when he stopped their forward progression. She let out a small noise, otherwise known as a warning sign that she was about to go into full whine mode if he didn't get moving in a continuous fashion soon. When a small smile tugged at his lips and his eyes danced merrily, she chanced a glance at what had his attention.

Another tug resulted in him being forcefully pulled from the small yellow sign warning travelers of a wet floor. She couldn't understand why all these signs were of any interest, but she knew they would miss their plane if they continued at this pace. There would be no forgiveness if he made them miss their honeymoon.

With a breath of relief, she was happy to see they made it to their gate without any interruptions from her silent companion. She looked ahead at the gate, but then a billboard behind the flight attendants caught her attention. The characters weren't Japanese, she realized, but looked something like English. Underneath, there was a small translation that seemed to depict what was going on in the advertisement.

It wasn't the logo for the clothing company that had the girl's attention so focused that she missed the attendants announcing boarding calls and Mamoru's gentle calling to his wife that they needed to get on the plane. He followed her line of sight and smiled.

The billboard had a simple model on it, the normal clothing commercial. However, the shirt the model had was a mismatch of Japanese characters arranged in a way that made no sense. _When beside you, my rhythm is serious_, he assumed was what the estranged characters together were trying to say. From the English sign, he guessed it had meant to say, _When I'm with you, my heart beats strongly_, or something comparable. He chuckled, wrapping an arm around his new wife and pulling her towards the plane, remembering the two signs that had caught his attention. The Japanese had not been the problem on them; it was the English.

As the two dropped into their seats, ready for the long flight that would start their honeymoon bliss. Usagi turned to a simpering Mamoru. "So, what was with the signs?"

A smile broke upon his face, showing his glittering teeth and Usagi's heart stopped momentarily. "The bathroom sign said to get to the bathrooms you must go toward your behind. And the water sign said execution in process."

Usagi's eyes bulged and she giggled, remembering the Japanese gibberish on the shirt. They both shook their heads as the plane taxied down the runway.

"It could be worse," Mamoru said jokingly, "most of the T-Shirts with English on them say much, much worse."


	5. 54: Nightmare

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#54: Nightmare  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: By now, I'm sure someone understands that none of us fanfiction writers have claim over Sailor Moon, nor do we have anything worth taking.

* * *

Usagi screamed as the youma closed in faster behind her. Her hair flapped in the wind she created running at such a high velocity. She was in her simple nightgown, holding the long skirt up so that the hem of the fabric fell above her knees. That, coupled with her frenzied pace and the lift she was creating pumping her legs back and forth, cause the skirt to billow around her, rising above knees and occasionally her waist. To say the future queen of earth was in one of her finest moments would be more sarcastic than anything that could leave Haruka or Rei's mouths combined.

Still screaming, she pumped through the darkness around her, her lungs burning with the effort to breath and her legs with the effort to push her farther. The youma was gaining, she knew by the nearing sound of its growls. She whimpered and clutched at the skirt in her hand as she ran hopelessly in the darkness.

The fact that she hadn't caught sight of the youma scared her more than ever. It lingered in the darkness, growling, just out of her line of sight. She knew it was an evil one, though, due to the stench that it let out with every breath. She initially had scrunched up her face in disgust before attempting to blast it away. Unfortunately, this seemed to only irritate it more and thus the cat and mouse game she was now involved in.

She fought back a scream as suddenly its arms reached around and caught her. She was hauled into a strong chest and could suddenly feel the damn breath of the youma puffing against her face. She held her breath, swearing the thing was trying to kill her with its intensely bad breath. It growled lowly and loudly from its position in front of her. This was it, she thought, gasping and choking for breath in the stench around her. She felt her eyes rolling into the back of her head as the arms around her tightened.

Usagi jolted awake in bed. Her vision was black and she suddenly fumbled away in fear, realizing the youma's arms and bad breath were still present and that it wasn't a dream. That is, until she jerked away from the darkness and realized she had been held against Mamoru's chest. With a blush at thinking her husband a youma, she continued to look into his face as the sound of the growling youma came to her ears.

Usagi's blue eyes grew ten times in size as she realized the growling of the youma coincided with each breath issuing from Mamoru's lips. And, unfortunately enough, the sudden stench also followed his breathing. Blushing, and slightly indignant that her husband had cause such a strange nightmare (and that her face was coated in his yucky morning breath,) Usagi did the only sensible thing. She smacked him on the head for it, startling the snoring Mamoru out of sleep.

Groggily he stared at a fuming wife in front of him, not at all certain as to what had so suddenly woke him or having a clue as to the reason his companion was so upset. The blonde huffed, crossing her arms, and flopped away from him and to the farthest side of the bed. Mamoru, completely dazed but tired nonetheless, simply turned the other way and went back to sleep. _Women._


	6. 15: Mistake

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#15: Mistake  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, Unix, or anything involving the internet.

This one's a little risque (not that much!), it's just funny how you innocently end up in this situation.

* * *

"Mamoru-san," Luna padded toward a tired Mamoru who was just closing and locking the apartment door. He shrugged off his jacket and removed his shoes before making his way toward her. "Usagi has to use the internet for a project and is having problems. I swear, I try and teach her how to work a computer and she never remembers." 

Luna continued to grumble as he made his way into the room they had made into an office. He dropped his bag at the door and took in the site of his wife furiously clicking at an unmoving screen. The black cat was suddenly at his feet. "I'd help her, but I don't understand how to use your operating system. Really, Mamoru, you're as bad as Usagi. Why do you even need Unix?"

"It's the best," Mamoru grumbled, having had this conversation with Luna thousands of times, as he made his way to his beloved. He grabbed her furiously clicking hand and felt her melt against his chest that was hunched over her chair.

"Mamo-chan," she cooed, "my hero."

Ignoring the very obvious hearts in the blonde's eyes, he skillfully maneuvered into an internet browser, then to a search engine. His wife nudged him, and he turned to see her puckered lips. He chuckled softly and kissed her.

"Welcome home, honey," she bounced happily in her chair. He smiled and wheeled her chair closer to the computer. She pouted and quickly found the search bar.

Mamoru turned, intent on exiting the room and starting his own studying at the dining table. "What are you researching?"

"Medieval weaponry." She could feel his confused gaze at the nape of her neck and a small smile played onto her features. "It's for my history class."

The man nodded and made to grab his bag. He hoisted the lead weight onto his shoulder about to make his exit.

"Oh, this one's perfect. It says whips and chains!" Usagi exclaimed happily. Finally she was getting somewhere after fighting with the machine for hours.

Mamoru, however, being a bit more internet savvy turned with a look of horror on his face. He made a dramatic effort to stop the mouse from clicking on the innocent looking blue hyperlink. In slow motion, he could hear his voice trail in a drawn out "no" as he flew through the air and the petite finger slowly, millisecond-by-millisecond, descended upon the left mouse button.

Unfortunately, Mamoru didn't make it in time and suddenly the screen was filled with tactless pictures of bondage, women in leather with whips, and a very scary man overly enjoying the possibilities the mace in his hand held. More and more pictures sprouted on the screen of the computer as Usagi sat absolutely stunned by the images being shown to her. She never realized it was possible for people to configure themselves into some of the positions the pictures implied.

Mamoru, not quite so mesmerized and desperate to end the disturbing porn slideshow being played upon his monitor, grabbed the power cord and unplugged the entire system. The screen suddenly turned blank and Usagi blinked from the sudden absence of brightly colored photos. She turned bright blue eyes to her husband, who had a faint line of sweat at his brow and was breathing heavily for reasons she didn't understand. His tired eyes eventually moved to find hers staring with innocent curiosity at him.

"The third to last one didn't look so bad."

Mamoru, in the most dignified manner possible, face faulted to the floor.


	7. 12: Present

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
12: Present  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

This is cheap, hahaha!

* * *

A set of blonde odangos lingered terribly close to the top of a wooden desk in a classroom of Juuban High School. It was nearing the end of the first day of classes, and her attention was set on the chirping birds outside the window. The pair seemed jovial enough, bouncing between limbs, and caroling each other as the sun's rays bathed their twittering feathers. Usagi fidgeted, anxious to get outside and enjoy the last vestiges of summer before fall set in.

She was meticulously planning a walk by the lake with her husband as the teacher came in and proceeded to call the road. They were nearing their six-month anniversary and she had to find if he was planning anything special. Perhaps a walk would give them time to prepare. She giggled quietly, hoping the dashing man would cart her off to some enchanted isle. Fat chance, considering Mamoru himself had nearly cried when he had to miss classes for their honeymoon. A small pout held upon her face as she mindlessly continued to wander within her own psyche.

"Chiba."

The chirping of birds answered the teacher, so he tried once again.

"Chiba."

Finding the sudden silence slightly irritating and the rest of the class rustling with the name they hadn't heard around school before this year, the teacher started grinding his teeth together. There was a sudden yelp in the back, provided from Makoto not so lightly kicking the shins of Usagi, and he repeated once more.

"Chiba?"

"Presento!" Usagi stood quickly and motioned with flailing arms.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" the teacher demanded gruffly before finding the next name in the roll.

"Gomen ne, sensei." Usagi slumped back into her chair. How was she to know they would have finally updated their rosters to her new name; all her other classes still had her as Tsukino. It seemed he was the only to download a recent roster.

* * *

Ah, some of these shorts might involve Usagi at school because I think there's a dynamic there. How many 16-yr olds are married? So, I would think she would try and keep it secret for as long as possible. Therefore, I may come back to that idea in later drabbles. Oh, well, just a short little rambling! 

BTW, has anyone had this happen to them? Haha, I think it's funny when professors don't have the most recent rosters and end up calling some kid's name for 5 minutes who's no longer registered at the inversity. Heehee, perhaps it's just me. Then again, I guess in the larger class settings (upwards to 200 ppl) they really don't call the roll much. I wouldn't know, but I imagine so!


	8. 59: Unrequited Love

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#59: Unrequited Love  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

* * *

SLURRRPPP 

SLURRRP

"Usako," the blonde felt the ghost of a pair of lips at her hairline, just above her ear; a gesture that usually caused her blood to boil and her toes to curl inward. However, there was no such reaction this time.

SLUUUURRRRPPP

SLUUURRRPP

"Now I see why you don't come around to visit anymore." Motoki was chuckling, watching the display between the newlyweds. Mamoru was desperately trying to get Usagi to notice him but she was intent on her milkshake. There was a rose in her hair that he had skillfully maneuvered into position. His jacket warmed her shoulders as he had wrapped it around her when the first few sips of milkshake had caused shivers and goose bumps upon her delicate skin. The recent kiss seemed to be his last attempt at gaining her attention.

SLUURRRRRPP

Mamoru pouted at his friend then looked back to his wife. Motoki swore the glare the man was giving the chocolate milkshake should have caused the item to explode. _Good thing he's not Superman_.

"I never would have thought you to get jealous of a milkshake, Mamoru-kun."

The glare was suddenly focused on him and Motoki was suddenly very glad his friend wasn't Superman. He didn't even think Lex Luther received such a hateful glare from the speedo-clad superhero.

SLLURRRRRRPPPPPPP

* * *

Short and sweet. Well, here's this week's set of tidbits. I'm glad you all enjoyed the few listed here so far. I know some of these are good and some are a little iffy, (like this one) but hey, that's kind of the way drabbles go, eh?  



	9. 76: Family

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#76: Family  
Lillie Bell  
Words:

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon

* * *

"Onee-san!"

Usagi turned from the gates of the high school to see her brother running towards her. He was nearing fourteen now and every time she saw him she was amazed at how much he had grown. When he caught up to her, she was irritated to find he had surpassed her in height all ready. Pushing down a flood of jealousy, not knowing how he had managed to inherit the tall trait in the family, she watched him curiously as he panted. Something important must have made him dash all the way from the junior high.

"Ano," he started when he'd caught his breath. "Is Mamoru-san coming home early today?"

The blonde blinked, having not expected Shingo to ask about her husband. She nodded blankly her interest peaked. Her attention was diverted, however, as her bus came around the corner and made to stop. If she didn't catch it now the next one would be along in an hour and then Mamoru would be home before she had a chance to start dinner. Turning back to Shingo, she had a brainstorm. "Why don't you come for dinner?"

The boy enthusiastically agreed and the two made their way over to the stopped bus.

* * *

"You're pretty focused on that celery," Usagi commented as her brother chopped carefully. His face was tight planes of concentration not necessary to the task set upon him. Dinner was offered only with the promise of helping assemble it, yet it didn't seem the junior high student had preparation on his mind. She sighed when she got no response and continued on stirring the pot boiling before her.

The catch of the door caught their attention, as well as the shuffle of feet coming out of shoes. Usagi chuckled when she heard the tell tale sound of her husband bumping into the small table with his shoulder bag. Honestly, the man was too big for the foyer space.

Before Mamoru could make a proper entrance, Shingo left his post and was at the top of the stairs. A surprised man blinked up at the boy. "Shingo-kun?"

Shingo abruptly bowed from the waist. "Gomen, Mamoru-san. Usagi said I could come for dinner. I have something important to ask you please?" His voice only cracked slightly at the end, as was the tendency for boys his age. He stared at the carpet with conviction, praying with all his soul that Mamoru would help him. He and Mika would be entering high school next year and desperately needed advice from Mamoru. High school was a time for serious relationships. He had been going around in circles for weeks trying to discover what to do, until he received an epiphany last night. Mamoru had been in a serious relationship during high school and to Usagi no less. He was the perfect person to ask!

Blue eyes surveyed the two men in her life before turning back to dinner. She snuck a glance over her shoulder and met Mamoru's intense gaze. She winked at him and motioned that dinner was almost ready. He nodded and looked down at the boy before him.

"Sounds fine to me, Shingo-kun. Let's eat first, though, before it gets cold."

"Ha-hai!"

Mamoru chuckled at him then moved to put his bag away and help set the table.

* * *

"Ah, Mamoru-san," Shingo mumbled. They were standing on the balcony with the wind rustling their hair. Shingo bit his lip, feeling his resolve fleeting. The older man was watching him intently, waiting. He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and opened his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing would come. Sweat came to his brow as he tried to force himself to speak.

"Mou, Shingo, what's so important you can only tell Mamo-chan?" Usagi whined good-naturedly from the open balcony door. "What's so horrible you can't even tell your onee-sama?" A near devilish smirk appeared on her face though it missed her sparkling eyes.

Whether Shingo noticed the teasing was only to help him over whatever had stopped him or not was not evident. He reeled toward Usagi, the normal brother-sister fights coming to him in earnest. "What are you implying?" he yelped, trying to suppress the blush on his cheeks. He turned back to Tokyo, grumbling, "I just want to talk to my onii-san."

His eyes were closed and he missed the near trip Mamoru did. The older man stared into the boy's face that was nearing his own height, and felt his heart flutter in a way it never had previously. His breath was quick to leave his lungs and he pulled it in once he realized he had stopped breathing completely. A blush stained his cheeks and, with a look of wonderment, he turned to his wife. Her eyes were larger than saucers and she seemed as surprised as he with Shingo's declaration.

Usagi was quick to recover, however, and she smiled at her husband. She watched as a hesitant million-watt smile made its way across his features. She could see the dancing irises in his eyes and knew he was skating above the clouds. She could not have wished more for him than this, the first true testament of a family.

She smiled and walked up to the two men. "That's fine Shingo-kun, however you can't keep him all night." She wrapped an arm around Mamoru's waist and kissed his lips, bringing him out of his happy daze. They shared a smile that made it clear the level of love the two shared, before Usagi continued. "He still has to do the dishes."

The two watched Usagi sneak away and close the screen over the door to keep bugs out before disappearing into the apartment. Shingo turned back and noticed Mamoru's lingering gaze. He would never let them know it, but he idolized his elder siblings. The love that his sister and husband held for each other was what he secretly wished for himself one day. His heart jolted happily in his chest when Mamoru's kind eyes locked with his own. There was still hope, he knew, for Mamoru would help him find that same love in his own life.

"Now what was it you wanted to ask me, uh," Mamoru hesitated, "otouto-chan?"


	10. 11: Past

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#11: Past  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon

YAY for more bonding... (and not the type in _Mistake_!)

* * *

"Usagi," Luna spoke softly from her position at the back of the couch. Sad eyes looked into those of her princess. "If you could go back and change any part of your life would you?" 

The blonde disentangled herself from Mamoru and walked over to Luna at the couch. She stared quizzically at the small advisor. Scooping her up, she took note of the slightly glassy, blue eyes of the cat.

"That is to say," Luna clarified, not able to meet Usagi's intense stare. "Is there anything you regret about your life?" Usagi still seemed confused at what she was asking. "Like being Sailor Moon?" she whispered, her ears falling back and she guiltily lowered her head. Her tail twitched in sorrow.

The blonde's eyes grew large at the implications of Luna's question. Seeing the cat's slumped posture, she pulled her trusted friend close and pet her gently in an attempt to ward away her fears. Usagi held her for a while; dispelling the grief she could feel inside of Luna.

"Luna," she said in typical Usagi fashion, which mostly was an over enthusiastic scolding. "I cannot regret any part of my life." At her cat's blinking eyes, she continued. Staring out the balcony, her voice calm and serene, Usagi spoke gently. "The trials that we go through in life, though sometimes hard, force us to endure. I may not have made the best decisions, but the consequences of those have taught me lessons immeasurable.

"Every trial I have ever faced has made me stronger, Luna, and shaped me into the person I am today. If I regretted any part of my life, then I must also be ashamed of who I am right now, and that's not possible. I don't need the girls or Mamoru or you to tell me I've grown into someone greater than I was at fourteen; I can feel it in myself."

"But all those times you died," Luna sobbed softly. Her princess was becoming such a lovely woman and Luna was berating herself for having missed it. "Resigning you to a life that you were not born into, basing your entire existence upon who you were in a previous life, these are not the destiny that most people dream of having, Usa."

"You have suffered so much because of me," she rasped before the arms closed around her and allowed her to sob into Usagi's blouse. Choking sobs issued from the thin garment as the two stood together looking so tragically beautiful that Mamoru could hardly bring himself to interrupt.

After a few minutes, he carefully placed his hand over Usagi's at the top of the cat's head. The women were startled by him, having forgotten his presence. Mamoru smiled softly at the two, understanding the bond between his wife and her guardian, and the need for the past to be justified.

While Usagi and the senshi were a strong bunch with an intense, sisterly bond, the one between Usagi and Luna transcended even that status. Though Luna didn't know it, Usagi looked up to the small cat that had changed her life. Luna had been the first to be with Usagi in battle as Sailor Moon, which meant everything to his bunny.

However, their bond didn't only encompass an idolization by Usagi, who thought Luna to be the mature, serious woman that she herself wanted to become, it surpassed to a bond between two woman born into a similar life. Luna herself, without realizing it, wasn't made for battles or strategic involvement. The small cat had been the diplomat for Queen Serenity, not any kind of military guard. This meant that at the onset of Sailor Moon, both were fumbling with a limited understanding of the enemy and tactics. Luna had expected in this life to find a soldier from the past with prior knowledge of battle and instead found a hesitant but loving princess who could hardly harm a fly.

Mamoru smiled at the two women in his life constantly now. Even married, Luna spent her time in their apartment. Though her relationship with Artemis had escalated, she stayed with her princess, ever the watchful and vigilant guardian. Usagi, he knew, secretly adored Luna's devotion. The two had seen so much that was not for their eyes; they had conquered so much that they should not have had to face, that the bond between them had simply grown to a level near what he shared with his wife. Though not soul mates, their experiences were common to the two that they had developed a strong bond. Their bond was one of those on a similar journey and who understand each other completely on every level having faced the same dangers and overcome.

Thus, when Luna felt the need to question the time when she came into Usagi's life he knew the blonde's large heart constricted painfully in her chest. The two had grown so much from their experiences, had strengthened their bond to amazing levels, and suddenly Luna wanted to say it was a mistake; even worse a regret. Though he agreed with the suffering, he felt a stronger truth behind his wife's words. Hence, as they blinked at him surprise, tears tracing their ways down both their faces, he smiled in encouragement.

"Luna, without the bad times in life you can't appreciate the good times."

The cat's large blues eyes blinked away her tears, staring at her prince. His large hands gently ran down her back, his golden energy calming her nerves instantly. She watched as his other arm wrapped around Usagi's shoulders and he pulled the two of them into his protective embrace. He kissed the crown of his wife's head as she buried her face in his chest. The man smiled at Luna, and in his eyes she saw a fierce joy that usually simmered below the surface.

The cat snuggled into the arms around her, those of the two most important people in her life. This was her duty, she knew, to protect these two and lead them to greatness; but beyond duty she would have committed herself to them without regret. She was devoted to the princess who was stronger than anyone she had ever met, had a fathomless heart, and would continue to amaze her, and to the prince who lost everything countless times in countless lives but could still appreciate the joy in his life.

No, she realized, she could not regret having met them.

* * *

Oops, these are supposed to be short, eh? Guess I missed the memo! Heehee.  



	11. 13: Future

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#13: Future  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, not owned by me, is. Oro. (obviously not Kenshin either!)

This is my longest one so far and it's filled with WAFFy happiness. Consider yourself warned!

* * *

Mamoru sat at the stairs leading into the streets from the large chapel at the center of Crystal Tokyo. He sighed, feeling oddly happy and sad all at once. The gray tuxedo itched him greatly and his body begged for his black one, but today he was not the one on display. No, today was his daughter's day to shine. It was the day for her and her love, now husband.

Husband sounded odd to him. Son sounded even stranger. But Mamoru supposed he indeed had a son now. The glimmer of a smile reached his lips. Though the man had never felt the need for a boy, he found that Small Lady was hard work enough not to justify wanting another; he was given to a foreign joy within him. Perhaps it was just a primitive need for male camaraderie. In a palace brimming with women, Mamoru felt himself drowning in the estrogen and drama at times.

He propped his elbows on his knees and leaned over, looking at the speckled confetti on the steps, and linked his fingers together. Closing his eyes, he could still see his daughter in those days when she was forever young. He was glad when she was able to grow and experience the world of adults. She had matured so well on her own, but without the body her mind still seemed too fall behind.

His aged eyes opened and remembered how she felt in his arms before she danced away into the arms of her husband and their limousine. He felt a bag of confetti pressed into his hand and mechanically threw it into the arm as the two scampered down the stairs, into the open door, and off into the sunset to pursue their own fairy tale.

He clenched his hands then relaxed. Leaning back, he let the chill of the autumn wind twist his hair and clear his thoughts. Behind the darkness, he played a slow moving cinema of his memories. His heart fluttered with fatherly pride in each scene.

* * *

He recalled when she had told him. He had just come home, rather late even by his standards, and made his way quietly through the apartment. He knew Usa would be in bed, as she had to work in the morning. He crawled as carefully as possible into bed when his coy wife spun on him and pressed her lips to his. Due to the lights of Tokyo, the room was not terribly dark and he could make out his wife's frame and nightgown easily. He smiled and went to wrap his arms around her when she grabbed the outstretched arms. He looked at her quizzically when she smiled magnificently.

"Thank you," she whispered into the enchanting night.

Before he could even ask for an explanation, she held his hand before her lower abdomen. She closed her eyes and he could feel as well as see her aura shining with the power within her. Her hands, clasped above his, channeled the soft energy through his hands and into herself. Mamoru closed his eyes as she directed his psychometry through her body until they came to a stop.

Mamoru didn't have to look far for right in front of him was a tiny ball of silver and gold flecks. Before his eyes he watched the inside of the ball split, over and over, breaking into tiny sparkling pieces of gold and silver. His medical mind took a moment to catch up to his extended one and he suddenly was pulled away from the beautiful reaction happening within his wife.

In the night, he stared at the woman before him who glowed with more than the inborn power of the Moon. He knew his mouth was hanging open and his breath was coming out in a wheeze as he tried to reel in his thoughts long enough to say something intelligible.

Finally, he settled on a smile that perfectly matched the one on her face. He grasped her hands again and squeezed. He just laughed, letting all the joy and fear and pride and simply everything wash over him. He embraced her tightly, feeling her own arms clutching to him strongly, burying his face in her smooth, unbound silver hair. He raked his hands through it, laughing like an idiot and not caring. Usagi was laughing too, laughing and crying, with a happiness only known to those couples who are suddenly pressed with the joy of parenthood unexpectedly. Especially a pair that fought two lifetimes for such a pleasure.

He pulled away from her, wiping away her tears, as she did the same for him though he never even remembered when he had changed from laughing to crying. Small chuckles continued to echo through the room as they tended to one another, seeing nothing but the love in the other's eyes.

Eventually, they collapsed into the bed and simply held each other for the rest of the night, too excited to sleep, too overwhelmed to speak.

* * *

He remembered when the doctor had handed the small bundle of writhing flesh to him. The child had instantly quieted her fit, seemingly knowing her father, her greatest protector, held her. He remembered when those tired eyes opened and stared at him before closing around the blanket and finally sleeping. The rush of ecstasy that ran through him was immeasurable. Here was his family complete.

He kissed the damp down at her hairline, holding her a bit longer as the staff checked on the status of his wife. At her insistent arms, he presented to the woman who carried his soul their greatest treasure. They shared a look of passion, not of desire; a passion of their dreams finally coming true and the fierce joy their daughter's life brought to them. Mamoru bent and kissed his wife's sweat-ridden brow.

"You did well, Usa," he whispered softly, taking the child from her arms and handing her off to a rather adamant nurse when Usagi's eyes started to droop.

* * *

He knew the way she always came to him, near midnight, afraid of some strange noise in her room. Her mother would be in bed, snoozing, and he would pick up the child and set her in between them. She would snuggle as close to her mother as possible and Mamoru was not at all spurned by her playing favorites. He was simply happy to have her at all.

Those were always his favorite nights. When he could prop up on an elbow and watch his family sleep. He could touch the tendrils of hair that snuck onto his side of the bed. Even the small family of cats at the end of their bed brought him a fathomless joy. It was these times he knew himself to be more complete than ever. He had a family to watch over, to love, and to devote himself to; it was the pinnacle of his life.

* * *

There were those times, when she was slightly older yet not starting to age yet, when she demanded of him bedtimes stories. He adored recounting the fantastical adventures of his youth. In his own way, he could not allow his daughter's hero figure be anyone but himself. Mamoru prided himself on being her protector and confidant; therefore, he could not simply allow her to base her understanding of a prince charming on any one but himself. Perhaps he was steeling himself for the situation he was in now, for he could only give his daughter away to someone he knew to be greater than himself. If he set her goals high at a young age, he was nearly guaranteed such a thing. But even fathers don't have to like their daughter's love interests even though they fit their rigorous qualifications.

Looking back, he enjoyed that time the most. She still believed in him completely and did not see him as simply a man. She did not question him and her eyes shone with such absolute idolization. He never asked if he was deserving of such adoration; later in her life she did.

* * *

Even her rebellious years, when her body was finally growing and she was trying to find her place in life after 400 years of being known as a Small Lady, he could look back at and laugh. Really, the time she dyed her hair electric blue seemed rather amusing now when at the time Usako nearly had her head. Not to mention, he was running around in gloves for weeks when his wife proclaimed ultimate punishment on the one who helped her.

He watched quietly as the bond between his wife and daughter broke and mended time and again. Small Lady was trapped between an increasing need for independence, not realizing that said independence would bring her abruptly into a ruthless adult world from which he tried to shield her, and the fears of a life by herself without the support group her family and senshi created. Ages older, he could agree that some of her obstinate outbursts could have been handled more tactfully, however the end result could not be disputed. Small Lady grew into a fabulous, caring woman, and the rebellious times were an easy enough trial in becoming a true Lady.

* * *

The most recent edition to his film flipped through his mind. Not six hours earlier, after finding an alcove away from the frantically moving women, staff, and guardians, (even at his height he was sure to be bulldozed!) his wife came and hoisted him out of the bench, dragging him toward the large doors that would soon open to show blushing bride and callous father.

His hands shakily clasped hers as her mother quickly dropped the veil over her face before making her own hasty retreat through a side entrance. She nodded at him and he moved to the side. Her hand was in the crook of his elbow and suddenly his heart was in his shoes. His temperature plummeted as the large oak doors opened to her destiny.

Each slow step they made pressed upon the hearts beneath his soles. He gulped down the sudden faint feeling in his head and he swore there were birds humming in his ears. They were halfway down the long aisle, altar in sight much to his dismay, when he felt a very strong grip upon his elbow.

He glanced sideways at the woman on his arm. He felt a witch had come in the night and suddenly turned his beautiful, not always so innocent, daughter into this remarkable woman. Right when she was able to truly share the world with him, he was giving her away, he realized. A second, more pressing squeeze brought him back to her shimmering eyes just as his heart squished with one more footfall and he swore he was leaving a bloody trail on the red carpet.

"Ganbatte," she scolded softly. He blinked then suddenly straightened and continued on with a renewed resolve. Here he was, the king of the world, losing hope during his daughter's happiest and most fearful moment in life! He pulled himself together, remembering his own wedding and Kenji's disgruntled look. Even Usagi had seemed nervous and they were destined for one another!

A quick closing of his eyes and strong breath brought him back to his duty. Pride flared in his chest for the daughter on his arm; she handled the situation expertly. He smiled at this. She was going to be all right, he realized. He wasn't her protector anymore, he wasn't whom she idolized, and he wasn't who she was going to go to first to dry her eyes, but he would always be her father. That fact could never be taken from him. He had to let her go and hope that everything they taught her would be enough. And if not, they would always be there to catch her when she fell.

So, when the King of the Universe approached the altar with his greatest treasure and was asked to whom he would bestow her, he gladly named her prince. Gently raising her veil, he kissed her softly on the lips. She was startled a bit by this; he hadn't done so in rehearsal or in centuries for that matter. Even if she didn't fully realize it, he was truly letting go. He was giving his daughter, the one that would crawl into bed at night, or demand stories of Sailor Moon even after she had met the famous heroine, or scream at him when he intruded upon her private space, or would go for quick ice cream excursions even though they had easily outgrown such an exercise, to the prince charming he had always tried to be for her.

He snuck back into his place at the pews and felt his wife arms come around him. He held her tightly, kissing the crescent on her forehead. Realization hit him between the eyes and he pressed his face into her hair. Even if his daughter did not need him, he would always be a prince to the princess in his arms.

* * *

A hand at his shoulder brought him from the small slideshow. He felt his wife kneel beside him, keeping her delicately brocaded dress from catching on the concrete. With a final breath of farewell, he covered her hand with his own and stood. He pulled her along with him as they made their own exit. The two walked hand-in-hand into the sunset, having fulfilled a destiny thousands of years old.

* * *

A warm, WAFFy goodness ... it even makes me giddy! 

Reviews please!


	12. 21: Mischief

100 Themes: Little Moments  
21: Mischief  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, sadly enough I'm only a graduate student getting by on a tiny salary and studying harder than possible. Also, I'm no expert in biology so let's just play pretend and believe what I say. Just be glad I haven't brought any chemistry into these ficlets! P

* * *

Mamoru was in the kitchen, fanning off the recent heat wave by sticking his head in the freezer. So far, he was less than successful. A spark raced up his spine in chilling waves as a scream pierced the air. Suddenly, the image of his Usako bound and bloodied by some evil force that stole into their bedroom formed in his mind. With stunning agility, he sped around the corner and straight through the closed door. Not once did his mind stop to ponder that the door was unlocked. 

However, upon seeing what had caused his wife such distress, his blood began to boil with more than just fear and general protectiveness. "Usa," he crossed his arms and scowled at the mop of blonde hair beneath a bundle of olive green.

The woman continued to roll and scream something about ugliness cooties permeating and causing transmutations in her naturally adorable cooties. Even though he was proud of how quickly she had picked up Biology, Mamoru was certain osmosis, let alone transfiguring DNA, didn't apply to cooties or the writhing green puddle before him. There was also the small factor that said ugly cooties were supposedly coming from _his_ token olive green jacket which had obviously fallen on the unsuspecting girl when, from the looks of it, had been retrieving her thrown scarf from the bottom shelf of the closet. He assumed that was where the scream came from but, honestly, the drama was certainly not needed.

He pouted, realizing something. "Usa," he noticed she had managed to roll in such a way that the jacket was left on the floor and his wife was in a disgruntled position catching her breath. He reached down and picked up the rumpled jacket, frowning at the way it fell in a frumpy fashion from his hand. When he turned from hanging it up, Usagi was at his elbow and hiding her giggles behind her hand. Evidently, the girl had found her little scene humorous.

"Mamo-chan," she lightly hit his shoulder. "You have no sense of humor!"

"Usako," he sighed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. She naturally curled her body to his and nuzzled his neck, her bangs tickling his chin. "You realize that if my jacket had ugly cooties then I would be very ugly by now."

She moved from his shoulder and looked at him seriously. "Iie, that's just not possible, Mamo-chan."

She smiled secretly and before he could ask for an explanation, she reached on her tiptoes and kissed him soundly. Needless to say, he forgot all about his jacket.

* * *

And here, something should be mentioned. Usagi of FME, you are SO incredibly great You review nearly (or probably all) of my fanfiction and for that I am truly greatful ) Thank you for your lovely reviews, they make me feel better about writing! And forgive this relatively short posting, I'll get more out later in the week, I promise, as I won't be around next weekend. Ah, I'm going to miss fall breaks when I finally get out in the working world. Maybe I should pursue an MBA after my PhD just to keep the 180 days of school? Haha, anyway, I'm visiting my fiancee of the otehr side of the continent next weekend, so I'll try and have something out by Wed.! Keep an eye out. 


	13. 32: Rain at Midnight

100 Themes: Little Moments  
#32: Rain at Midnight  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. And life isn't fair. Sorry guys, that's just the way it is.

* * *

"Usagi-chan!"

In the rain, she almost didn't hear him. Then, she saw his form through the sheets and looked away. Her eyes took in the storm and when he was next to her, gasping for breath, he could see they were red-rimmed and her cheeks glistening from recent tears.

"Motoki-san." Her voice was colder than the night air pressing upon them. She continued to stare into the rain, her umbrella held imperiously above her head. It protected her from the rain that fell from the sky, but was not so successful with the rain that fell from her eyes. He saw a few tears squeak from beneath her unblinking eyes.

"Why are you here?" She turned blue eyes to him that were usually filled with unfathomable warmth. Tonight, they soaked in the desolation from the rain at midnight. He almost forgot his mission as his thoughts were consumed with the immense emptiness in her eyes.

He swallowed, reaching out a hand then withdrawing as if the air around her was chilled from her demeanor and had stung him with its contrast against his warm, though wet, skin. "Please, he asked me to look for you."

"Why isn't he here?"

"He didn't want you to come home to an empty apartment."

She turned away. "Why should I go back?" her voice was a haunting whisper filled with pain. He watched her jaw muscle clenched and a few more crystals dripped down her cheeks, tracing the same paths of their brothers before them.

"Usagi," he said sternly. "You can't throw away something so beautiful because you're upset. Don't make such a horrible mistake."

"Whose side are you on?" she hissed, turning on him and taking him by surprise. He took a step back, as if burned by her ice. "If I go back then he was right."

He let her huff for a bit, understanding the immaturity of her own statement. When she seemed to have dropped the icy aura around her, he touched her arm gently. "It doesn't matter, Usagi-chan. It doesn't matter who is right or wrong; what matters is that you look past it." He sighed, hoping he was making some sense. "You can't let one disappointment ruin the greatest thing in your life," he implored.

"I've made such a big mistake," she whispered crumpling into the older man's embrace in silent agony.

Before she could suggest that Mamoru would be unforgiving, he interrupted. "Well, now you two are even for the night. Come along, Usa-chan, have more faith. Mamoru-kun was frantic when he called me at five, he'll be more than happy to beg his forgiveness."

He folded her umbrella and suspended it from her arm, using his own, and pulled the girl along the streets toward a familiar apartment.


	14. 64: Secret

100 Themes: Little Moments  
64: Secret  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is property of Naoko Takeuchi and animation studios that have more money than I'll ever have.

* * *

"Mo," Rei whined as the girls sat with their drinks in the Crown. She watched the leaves trailing in the wind outside the window. "I hate autumn cleaning."

"Don't you mean spring cleaning?" Ami piped up.

"No, when winter comes around we always have to go on a hunt for the blankets and robes. So, ojii-san decided this year we were going to designate an area for the winter and summer things so that we can find them easily. Unfortunately, there's no proper place so we have to go through everything else to make acceptable space."

The girls nodded their heads in grave understanding. Mako-chan mumbled about renting a storage unit near her apartment for her extra items. Minako lamented the normal hectic state of her bedroom let alone trying to clean it. Ami even expressed some complaint over having to air out her older textbooks to keep them from molding.

Rei turned violet eyes to the silent blonde in their group. "Usagi, you really have it easy. Mamoru-san is so obsessively clean you don't have to worry about ever cleaning."

The girls nodded once again in slight resentment and, in doing so, missed Usagi startled jump. Luna moved to say something but her companion's hand stopped her. The girls didn't need to know their deepest, darkest secret.


	15. 14: Closet

100 Themes: Little Moments  
#14: Closet  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

"Is this the last of the wedding presents, Mamo-chan?" Usagi called from the hallway. A medium-sized cardboard box was sitting next to their bedroom door and she assumed it to be the presents they had no room for or use of at the moment. She remembered the two cases of china and silver from her mother and grandmother and cringed. She hoped the innocently small box was not quite so heavy.

"Ah," Mamoru said over the nightly news.

Usagi nodded and picked up the box, heading towards their secret storage area. She hadn't wanted to tell the girls that the reason Mamoru's apartment was so suspiciously clean was because he threw everything he didn't know what to do with into the large closet at the end of the hall. They, never coming near his bedroom, had never noticed the door, thankfully. She plopped the relatively light box down next to the door. Wiping her brow she opened the door toward her.

Mamoru heard a yelp and was on his feet and down the hall in seconds. A mound of boxes muttered curses and suddenly a blonde odango surfaced as a box rolled away from the shaking lump of cardboard. He quickly dug her out and took in the sight. She was on her back, circles flowing unevenly in her eyes and mumbling. She looked like a stunned bug stuck on its back.

"Mamo-chan," she started in a wavering voice. "I think we need to clean out the closet."


	16. 39: Cologne

100 Themes: Little Moments  
#39: Cologne  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

"Ne, Usagi-chan, wasn't that a strange assignment sensei gave us?" Naru faced her blonde counterpart and noticed her drooping posture.

"I've tried all day to find a scent that I could even deem important," Usagi whined, scuffing her shoes along the sidewalk. "Really, what sensei tells you to name the most important _scent_ in your life and then describe why?" She sighed before straightening her shoulders at the elevator. As they waited, she turned to her friend. "What did you say?"

"Well, I always enjoyed lilies. Mama always seems to have small arrangements of them at the store. She says they add elegance to anything." Naru chuckled, "I suppose I always wanted to believe they could make me mature and elegant too."

Usagi smiled and nodded as the two stepped into the elevator. They watched as the lighted numbers ticked off the floors as they climbed. "I wish I had a nice memory for flowers. My favorite has always been roses." Naru snorted and gave Usagi a knowing look to which she blushed. "But I thought roses would be too cliché. And I certainly couldn't say the reason they were important was because my husband is Tuxedo Kamen-sama," she added quietly finishing off with a wink.

The redhead nodded as Usagi fumbled with the keys to her apartment. "Anyway, enough with what we're supposed to do for art class--"

"Usagi-chan?" Naru peered hesitantly around the still form of her friend and peered into a neat apartment. She turned back to the blonde and saw a bit of dawning on her face. A red eyebrow raised, Naru stepped back and took a breath, about to yell loud enough to distract the absorbed Usagi. That was, of course, until her inhale caused her to smell a very strong, though underlying, scent that permeated the dwelling. Her eyes grew large as she realized the source of her friend's hesitation. A little smile appeared and Naru crept to close the door when suddenly another presence was there.

"Oi, Naru-chan," Mamoru greeted surprised to find the girl at this door. He shuffled in before realizing there wasn't enough room for the three of them to stand in the small foyer. Naru shut the door as it was easiest for her and he moved to touch the shoulder of a silent Usagi. As he passed Naru, she caught a whiff of the same scent that swept throughout the apartment. The smile on her face grew large.

Mamoru reached out to touch Usagi's elbow. "Odango, don't stand in the middle of the steps," he said jokingly, feeling a need to tease her affectionately. He didn't expect her to turn and jump on him, wrapping her petite arms around his shoulders. He chuckled enjoying the attention no less. Only Naru saw when the blonde buried her face in his neck and breathed in the scent of his cologne.

Protected, warm, comforted, euphoric, nostalgic, relieved, important, invincible—loved. 


	17. 37: Pocketknife

100 Themes: Little Moments  
#37: Pocketknife  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine. Uhm, neither is "Undone" of which I oculdn't help but add the puns for. (Sorry, it's our going-out-drinking-song, so it's hard not to miss when something sounds like the refrain!)

* * *

"Mamo-chan," Usagi whined attempting to make her husband move faster. He rushed from the bedroom in a beautiful tuxedo. The blonde withheld the whistle, but not the drool. 

"Oi, Usako, you have a little something here," he winked, leaning in and touching the small moisture seeping from the corner of her lips. She smiled whimsically, knowing in two seconds he would dip lower and kiss her lips. She was not disappointed.

She checked her watch as they stepped into the elevator. "What was taking you so long?"

"I couldn't find any pockets to put my pocketknife in."

Aside from the incredulous look she gave him, the elevator chimed that they were at the lobby. The two started out into the streets, Usagi's eyes a little wider than normal. She finally turned to him as they walked, her arm in his elbow holding up her evening dress.

"Why do you need a pocketknife?"

Mamoru colored slightly. "All men carry pocketknives," he offered lamely.

A blonde eyebrow raised in response. "Mamo-chan, I don't think I've ever questioned your manliness." She sent him a look, complimented by a knowing smile, that set his blood boiling for once and he blushed even brighter. They weren't even to the concert yet and she was already hinting at the possibilities after the show.

Usagi watched him and found herself chuckling. Leave a man to come to that conclusion.

"When have you ever used this pocketknife?" she asked after a few more blocks.

Mamoru looked away. Usagi withheld her laughter. _Men._

"It's okay, Mamo-chan," she chortled, patting his elbow with her free hand. "I'm sure you'll get the chance someday."

Fateful words were these for not ten minutes into the concert a disconcerting tickle took over Usagi's underarm. She scratched discreetly, but the minute her arm was back in place it was tickle once more. Frustrated, she pulled the glove from her hand and reached at the offensive area. She muttered when she encountered her fear: a long thread was slowly unraveling from her garment. (She might soon be naked!)

She bit her cheek, decided she hadn't tasted the patent leather of these particular shoes before, and inserted her foot in her mouth via asking her dutiful husband if he could snip the string with his ever-to-be-proven-useful pocketknife. His eyes glittered with the chance to use his new toy in a way only a man's could. The blonde sighed, not even trying to understand and left the explanation to the result of having a Y chromosome.

Five minutes later she turned back to her husband. Michiru was between movements and she thought she might get to voice the urgency of her situation. Her evening dress would become completely unraveled before he got around the snipping the thread. (Then she would be naked and come undone.)

To her shock, the man was still fumbling with the contraption. He appeared not to be able to get the little pieces out from their hidden places do to the large size of his fingers (and small size of his fingernails.)

"Mamo-chan," she hissed. "You have that stupid thing and you can't even use it."

"Iie, just a minute more."

She left him to tinker with his manly accessory as she dug in her purse for a small set of nail clippers. "Leave a woman to be prepared," she muttered beneath her breath before excusing herself to go to the restroom and remove the offensive thing herself.

She returned in the final movement when the duet was in an _adagio._ She snuck in next to Mamoru who still had all his attention focused on the small object. She sat back and let the slow melody flow through her. Before she could truly enjoy its serene qualities, however, the movement and concert were over and they were standing and applauding. As they proceeded with the crowd towards the exit and then down the back halls to the dressing rooms to congratulate their friend, Mamoru exclaimed happily.

"I got it!"

Usagi didn't even bother to look. Still, a knowing smile crept across her face; she supposed he felt he had somehow retained his manhood.

_Men._

_

* * *

_Well, that's all for tonight anyway. Not too sure how many I'll get out tomorrow, if any. Check out my LJ (shameless link on my profile) for two or three I didn't post here b/c they're weird. Otherwise, this might be my contribution for the week and I'll come back in two weeks with lots more. I was hoping that the new set would be posted and I could maybe use them. Guess I'll still be waiting._  
_


	18. 20: Scars

100 Themes: Little Moments  
#20: Scars  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

"Mamo-chan! Don't you dare drop me!"

As if he needed more invitation than that. Thus, with a large splash, the two went under the cooling lake waters. It had been a record-breaking heat wave and the group decided that a day trip was needed. The girls were in the water when Usagi dipped her toe and complained of the temperature. Of course, that only landed her in the arms of her husband who carried her straight into the water until the cool liquid was nearly over his head.

The group of five warriors laughed at the two and their antics. Usagi broke the surface of the water and got a handle on Mamoru's hair. She raised herself up, putting all her weight on his head yet unable to dunk the stronger man. The girls laughed as the two splashed beneath the waves once again. It was good to see them enjoying themselves.

No matter how silly the situation, however, the five could not miss the discolored skin above each of their charge's hearts. The pale white skin that refused to tan stood out in the sun and against the water that dripped from their chests. Even Usagi's modest bathing suit could not hide the entire spot that marred her flawless skin. The last existing reminder to them all of what they lost a millennium ago.

The scars were exactly the same, only different in angle. Each resembled the taunt oval of a broadsword's blade. While Mamoru's pointed to his shoulder in a diagonal, Usagi's had the distinct horizontal placing indicative of her shoving the sword into her own body. As the two turned, an equal set of scarred skin could be seen on their backs; exit wounds.

The five continued to watch, seemingly haunted by a past that darted across their eyes with the sudden vision of the scars. Never had they realized the two had them. It was understandable that they never would have noticed on Mamoru, who rarely had anything less than a loosely button shirt on. However, taking into account Usagi and her love of clothes, they wondered how she had kept it hidden so long.

They snapped out of their trance when a wave of water hit their unblinking eyes. Wiping the sudden stinging from their eyes, they saw Usagi with her arms crossed as well as she could from being held above water by Mamoru. When all they did was stare, she released another wave attack. Before long a battle of epic proportions began.

* * *

And so starts the next three drabbles which I will admit I'm not too certain of. (OMG sentence ended in a preposition!) :cough: Anyway, these are all I have for this weekend b/c this week went by in two days, not five. Hopefully, a less chatic schedule this week will allow me to really plow into these themes and be able to have a decent set out next weekend. That's the hope anyway.  



	19. 27: Stained Glass

100 Themes: Little Moments  
#27: Stained Glass  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

The nature of this drabble is otherwise known as me flying by the seat of my pants. I have no hand at crafts, nor do I pretend. Yes, I can unclog your sink, make slime, fail a test with grandeur, and even create small explosives if I so desired, but crafts are not something of which I am familiar. Basically, let's assume everything works nicely.

* * *

Usagi pressed the last shard in place. The small pieces of colored glass suspended before the window cast the floor into many hues, giving the room a sparkling countenance. The blonde beamed with pride, nearly as bright as the sun filtering through the pieces she spent the majority of the afternoon putting together. A local craft shop was advertising simple ways to brighten the home and Usagi, always willing to please her husband as well as make their otherwise scarcely decorated apartment less dreary, proceeded inside. The ladies there went through a small crash course of how to paint the shards with an overview of how to mix colors to get a desired effect. So Usagi took a step back, not noticing the colored jewels dancing on her own form, admiring her handiwork.

That was how Mamoru found her, drenched in multicolored light, her chest puffed proudly, and hair cascading down her back looking truly like her silver tresses of a millennia ago in the sunlight that pressed upon her. His heart melted instantly and he quietly stalked to her serene form. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, warmed by the sun's rays, he buried his face in her hair and inhaled its scent as if he would simply starve without it.

"Do you like them?" she whispered, turning in his arms. A modest blush crept into her cheeks from his intense gaze. He didn't even look at the glass.

"Beautiful," he whispered, leaning over. She knew this part and instinctively leaned into him, using his muscular body as an anchor that she would surely need when he kissed her and she lost all feeling in her legs.

"Mamo-chan," she drew back and ignored his dazed look. She was disconcerted with his lack of reaction. She hadn't thought it possible that he would not enjoy the small decoration. Her voice hitched in a whisper, she explained: "I was trying to make our apartment beautiful."

"Usako," he smiled, leaning into her lips once more. His voice and soft caress sent reverberations through her body as he spoke against her opened lips. "You make our apartment beautiful."

* * *


	20. 67: Weeping Willow

100 Themes: Little Moments  
#67: Weeping Willow  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. Everyone owes it to themselves to go out and see "Good Night, and Good Luck"

Okay, uhm, just take this one with a grain of salt, eh? This is the one I'm the least secure about of the three.

* * *

"Why does it fall like that?"

The quiet sadness in the question snapped Ami from the book held in her lap. She followed her friend's line of sight and took in the weeping willow. The tree limbs bowed into the lake, reaching into the water's edge for a distant lover. The tiny branches, however, were too small to gain purchase of anything and therefore held forever to the water though for no purpose.

"It forever sees its reflection," she continued. There was pain in her heart for the tree that must view its own heartache for eternity. Being forced to watch its own desperation could be the worst punishment the blonde had ever known. She realized that maybe it wasn't the tree limbs that were reaching, but that they were being held. The water shackled the arbor, she realised with mute horror. The water held the willow in its gaze and forced her, for surely such a forlorn expression made the willow female, to forever view her own pain and misery. Usagi's heart welled and her throat hitched in unshed tears. _A pain worse than death._

"Peace, love," Mamoru whispered softly in her ear, taking the woman into his embrace. Ami watched the two patiently. There was little effort needed to follow Usagi's thoughts, however she was curious how Mamoru would dissolve her emotional response. Wrapping his arms around her trembling shoulders, he dispelled the sudden cold that flooded her body and she fell into his strong embrace. He kissed her softly.

"You have forgotten the lover trapped within."

"Then it is worse for they can see one another and never be together. It is such a tease."

He smiled from her shoulder where his chin rested. He took in the trailing limbs within the water, small ripples reaching out into the expanse beyond where the limbs pressed upon the water's surface. "But she can feel him, love, that is why she reaches so far into the water. She nearly is falling in." He motioned to the bent form of the tree itself. Without the strong soil the tree would easily have fallen into the cold waters, roots and all.

"If she falls she will die."

"They can never be together fully; nature forbids it. Yet, they still yearn for one another despite the obstacle."

Ami's eyes widened. Usagi curled into Mamoru's embrace. A slender hand reached and clutched at his arm as she smiled and tilted her head to the side to glance at him.

"Always defying the odds," a genuine smile crept onto her face, one that laughed in the face of destiny.

"Eventually," he said softly leaning down to her awaiting lips. "If they are patient enough, they will have their wish. Destiny is not so cruel."

The two kissed sweetly, the willow tree swaying in the breeze that swept through the park at that moment. Ami watched the two unwavering lovers. No matter how the wind blew, the two remained. She sighed and looked back to the willow. True, it painted a tragically beautiful picture; it was still simply a tree. She laughed at the couple's sense of romanticism. Though, for a moment, she pretended it were actually true instead of some intended extended metaphor for the past.

* * *

Uh, yeah... Aside from that: Review! I like those, they're very much fun. Also, if there's a character from the series you'd like to see appear, let me know. I'm trying to fit everyone in instead of just Usa & Mamo (though they kinda have to be there too, you know.) 

Like here, where Ami is in the story for the simple reason that I needed a freakishly rational person to say: "It's just a tree." Simply because I would have been the one to say the same thing. But then I wrote it, so that's a little odd. Oh well. Until next time!


	21. 2: Masks

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#2: Masks  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

To say I'm proud of this one is an understatement. I'm _still_ am patting myself on the back!

* * *

The wind swept through ebony strings of hair, caressing them gently, as cobalt eyes took in the quiet city before him. The streets were filled with the few people who lethargically made their way about at such an early hour on the weekend. The man thought about his wife, curled in the comfort and warmth of their bed, and a smile drifted across his features. Usagi never was one to be up early, though it was only an hour after dawn.

Turning from the railing, he slid through the open glass door. The curtain swung into his face as the wind died and momentarily he fought against the linen. His feet stretched across the threshold as he tried to sidestep the billowing nuisance. His fight was suddenly thrust to the back of his mind as he shuffled his foot near the doorframe and heard a loud ripping sound. Luckily, the wind caught on to his troubles and the curtain was instantly lifted back into its arms and away from her prince.

For an instant, Mamoru glared angrily at the now contently dancing curtain before he made his way farther into the apartment to survey the damage. He looked at his immaculate pants, thinking the protruding screws of the doorframe tore the hem. Seeing no holes or fraying edges, Mamoru began to inspect the ground before finally turning to scrutinize the offensive screw.

A pained sound crawled up his throat and out his mouth before he could stop it. He stared, eyes close to tears, at the screw boastfully parading its prize. His skin went a sickening white and were anyone around they would have thought the man about to faint. He entertained such an idea for a moment, even felt his eyes begin to roll into his head before clenching his teeth and shaking himself. With deep breaths to calm his shattering heart, he closed his eyes and collected himself.

_Life could not be so cruel_.

But, oh, it could. For as he opened his eyes, the crystal pools took in the sight of the screw's treasure. The screw had managed to catch the corner of the mask and tear it from his fuzzy slippers A small felt mask that at one time (not too long ago) had been attached to the man's lavender slippers now waved teasingly from its perch.. He peered dumbly down at his feet, taking in the right masked slipper. With rising horror, the man was hit by a frightening epiphany:

_I can't be Tuxedo Kamen without my mask._


	22. 93: Genie

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#93: Genie  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I can't afford to _buy _Sailor Moon, how could I _own _it?

Haha, there's a pun in here that probably only I understand. And I like to pick on Ami-chan, not maliciously, I just think she's got some funny awkward moments. If you like this one, read "Of Pools and Laughter" of mine too. I think it's freaking hilarious.

* * *

The girls were laughing like hyenas when Mamoru entered the arcade. At least he wouldn't have to ask Motoki the location of his wife and her friends. He waved at his friend before heading to the table of guffawing teenagers. Though he was shaking his head during his approach, he had an appreciable smile on his face and glint in his eye. 

"Ami-chan," Makoto was gasping while the rest sputtered for air. "Only you would ask a genie for the box holding scrotum's ginger cat!"

"That's Schrodinger!" Ami squeaked, blushing profoundly at the brunette's mistake. _Did no one else notice what_ word_ she just said? _The blush amplified as a tall, dark-haired man poked at his doubled-over wife. Usagi caught her breath with effort before sliding over and letting him into the booth. Mamoru raised an eyebrow at Ami and she instantly knew he'd recognized Mako-chan's slip. Utterly humiliate, the girl slid down in the booth and pulled the napkin dispenser into his line of vision—it was her only means of defense. She could just see the lines written on the reflective silver surface:

_Here lies Mizuno Ami: taken from this Earth before her genius could truly be shown._

Mamoru didn't take the situation quite as dramatically as the blue-haired girl and dared to chuckle at her expense. The other girls took in the Ami Napkin Dispenser Defensive and decided to move on with their inquiry. Minako perked at Mako-chan and asked her the question that had caused such an interesting answer.

"If you found a genie, and he could grant you any three wishes, what would they be?"

Green eyes rolled to the ceiling as the brunette thought it over. The table became conspicuously quiet as she continued to mull over the query laid before her. She tapped her chin before answering. "A flower and cake shop, a really cool apartment, and…"

"That's three already!" Rei accused the overzealous girl.

A flash of green orbs met violet before Mako-chan continued: "And for sempai to come back to me."

Four heads drooped to the table. "Mako-chan," Usagi started wearily until Minako broke in cheerfully.

"Way to keep love alive!" Before anyone had time to blink at he blonde's bubbly answer, she turned on the only male and, subsequently, unquestioned member of the group.

"So, Mamoru-san," she ventured sweetly. The man could feel cavities forming from the sickeningly sweet, if not almost creepily malicious, grin on the blonde's face. "If you had three wishes what would they be?"

The man made way to open his mouth but stopped as Rei snorted. "Remember, Mamoru-san, we're in high school; keep it PG."

The married couple blushed slightly. More to say, Mamoru looked slightly embarrassed while Usagi was in full-fledged tomato-impression mode. A few seconds of silence permeated the atmosphere as Rei simply gloated in successfully making the two nervous. Finally, Mamoru coughed unsteadily and the priestess dropped her intense stare.

"I only have one wish," he answered softly though he kept a steady gaze on the girls before him.

He wound an arm around Usagi's shoulders, oblivious to the fact that her face was nearing a normal shade once again. He leant down to her ear and she nearly yelped at his sudden proximity. He also seemed immune to the fact that his mouth that close to her ear did crazy things to her. Her toes were beginning to curl and slivers of heat were rising and coiling along her tense spine as he let out a soft breath against her overly sensitive ear. _Oh, this is _so_ not going to be PG_.

He whispered softly in her ear and the girls watched as the blonde's eyes grew by epic proportions. A ladylike blush smeared across her cheeks once more as her hands came up to cover her slightly opened mouth. She turned sparkling eyes filled with sudden insight to him and he nodded gently before kissing her forehead and exiting the bench. The girls watched as he made his way over the Motoki before they turned to their princess, ready for an all-out interrogation that would put the FBI to shame.

A small smile was on her face, and she simply shook her head before also exiting the bench. She walked up behind Mamoru, sneaking her hand into his before pressing her face into his back. He threaded and squeezed their ringed fingers together as she inhaled his scent. She had never realized how close they were to their true dreams. _Soon._

Mamoru turned and they shared a smile full of apprehension, adoration, anticipation, and elation. He leaned down and kissed her gentle, expectant lips before the two made their departure.

_I only need one last wish, Usako: Children._


	23. 98: All's Fair in Love and War

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#98: All's Fair in Love and War  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

_How do I manage to get myself in these situations?_

"Mamoru, this has to be the stupidest idea ever," Motoki groaned. He was standing in the middle of an aisle in the grocery store. He checked the aisle for vacancy once more before stealthily risking a glance to his associate. While the blonde stood pressed against the racks, his back as far from the _other_ side of the aisle as possible, his counterpart was a few feet away and totally smug staring at the many plastic packages dotting the opposite side of the aisle. They'd been there a good twenty minutes without much divine intervention, such as lightning or thunder, or even a tornado to rip them from the accursed aisle, occurring. It was not for Motoki's lack of praying, though. Praying that increased a thousand fold whenever a cart came around the corner and down the aisle.

A familiar squeaking noise signaled another cart and Motoki forlornly looked away and look as nonchalant as possible. In his attempt to meld into the aisle, go into all-out chameleon mode, or at least possibly look as if he somehow _belonged_ in the "forbidden aisle" he grabbed an item on the shelf before him. The cart passed and he let out a breath he was holding. As the cart made the corner at the end of the aisle, he carefully sat back his prop in its appropriate place. He hadn't even taken the time to look at what it was.

"You know, for not wanting to be here, you've certainly taken an interest in over-the-counter medication for treating yeast infections."

"Can I help you?" The pharmacist assistant was watching the two women for twenty minutes as they both fiddled through the chapsticks in front of the counter. At first she thought they were trying to steal the premium beeswax innocently displayed. Then she noticed their nervousness was not directed at the chapsticks; rather, the small cylinders of addictive goop were simply a cover. She had raised an eyebrow and come over to inquire if her services were needed.

Usagi yelped at the unexpected attention of the woman behind the counter. The two quickly shook their heads and headed farther down from the window, inadvertently keeping their site from the aisle opposite the window.

"Usagi, you're so stubborn. It's your fault we're stuck here," Reika complained, shooting a glance over her shoulder. When her eyes trailed to the opposite wall and their intended purchase, she blushed a cherry red inadvertently matching some of the colored boxes hanging in uniform rows in a small niche of the aisle.

The blonde at her shoulder hissed, in the twenty-five minutes they were standing in the aisle she had not been able to even risk a glance at the aisle opposite them. "I haven't seen you leave yet. Even if it is stupid, I don't see you running to Motoki."

The brunette clamped her mouth shut. _No_. She could not bring herself to admit defeat so easily.


	24. 96: Catch 22

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#96: Catch 22  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

Mamoru was flopped happily on the couch awaiting the arrival of his wife. He could hear her scurrying about in their bedroom, fighting to be ready in time to make it to the hospital's anniversary banquet.

He fiddled with the straight collar of his tuxedo. Without the weight of his cape, the familiar silk around his eyes, or the suffocating grasp of his bowtie he felt oddly naked. In fact, the rented tuxedo felt so uncomfortable he was three seconds away from just transforming and cutting his losses with the rental charges. _If she takes any longer…_

The door to their bedroom opened and there stood his beautiful wife, the one and only love of his life. Her blonde hair was stacked upon her head and he simply wondered at the impossible feat. His eyes had yet to skim the rest of her body when she shuffled closer to him.

"Mamo-chan," she started, swaying a bit with the length of the new dress. She was trying to turn to the side a bit in order to sneak through the space between the couch and loveseat. Mamoru, however, took the chance to admire her profile until he noticed her slightly disgruntled face. She continued to make her way towards him when he paled considerably.

A new dress meant he was going to get _the_ question. He licked his lips, trying vainly to think of a simple, neutral answer that would not land him on the doorstep. This was not the sort of question that simply left him with a night of uncomfortable sleep on the sofa. The results of her inquisition could have him outside on the balcony if he was lucky. He quickly remembered Motoki was working at the hospital late that night and the small bit of hope that was building in the face of adversity died.

Usagi turned, having finally made her way through the couches without snagging the embroidered lace of her topskirt, and opened her mouth to ask her husband if he'd seen her shoes. If she remembered correctly, the last time she wore them he had been rather hasty to remove them and the next morning she could not find them in the pile of evening dress and hose. His face, however, had taken on an absolutely petrified expression and he seemed to be moving his lips in a manner that implied intense thought. Deciding he was being very strange, she made her way around the room and the hallway until finally finding the black heels hidden behind the hamper.

Slipping them on, she made her way out into the living room again and her standing husband. Before the smile could make its way across her face, Mamoru blurted out with a slightly wavering lilt: "You're beautiful."

He proceeded to quickly grab her evening coat and slug it over her shoulders and usher out of the apartment. Luna and Artemis, the latest addition to the Chiba household, watched as the two left.

"What was the deal with him?"

Artemis couldn't even smile, understanding the grave matter that caused such an awkward moment for the man. "The ultimate question," he explained. "Does this make me look fat."


	25. 94: Fan Club

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#94: Fan Club  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon and there's not much else you can do with this theme except make the situation unique. I think I kind of sold out, but there's only 100 of these things so my creativity can run a little thin for a few.

* * *

Usagi walked out alone to the gate where she was supposed to meet her friends. One fo the teachers had pulled her aside after class and congratulated her on her sudden focus and rising grades. A blush had come to her face when asked what had caused the sudden change. The blonde couldn't very well say that her husband was tutoring her, or being to mention the prize he awarded when she was correct. A faint blush was spreading across her cheeks before she could stop it, and the small smile only thoughts of him could bring was creeping over her face.

The mass of student hovering in a crescent around the front of the gate drove the musings from her mind. She carefully picked her way to the front, knowing her friends would be waiting. She caught bits and pieces of conversation, but short of "gorgeous" explained the levy of students. Finally, breaking through the immobile students whom she suddenly noticed were mostly girls, while the guys stood in a circle to the side with looks of disdain at having lost the attention of the girls.

What the… 

"Usako," a deep voice breathed and suddenly arms were wrapped around her. She turned in his embrace and smiled up at her husband towering a full head and a half above her. She nuzzled her chest before her arms came around his waist. When a groan was clearly audible from the girls behind her, she suddenly understood the nature of the hold up.

"Mamo-chan," she scolded and he smiled genuinely. A swoon went up from the peanut gallery, with the sound of a few girls truly fainting at the splendor, and Usagi continued with a bit more bitter sweetness. "I might have to wear my wedding band if your fan club continues to ogle you like this."

The dark-haired man simply chuckled, low and deep in resonance, before pulling the blonde into his embrace. She didn't seem to notice an equal groan coming from the gaggle of boys. He smirked and even dared to send a triumphant sneer at them. "I could say the same to you, Usa," he whispered in a feather-light caress of her hair.


	26. 25: Caramel Apple

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#25: Caramel Apple  
Lillie Bell

Dislcaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

"Mmmm," was all Minako could say. A round of nods followed, showing that the girls agreed that caramel apples were certainly a good treat on an autumn day. They watched the cold wind blow from the sanctity of the diner above the arcade.

"Everything tastes better dipped in caramel," Rei emphasized with a large bite.

"Especially chocolate," Makoto cheered.

"Or cherries," Ami added.

"Or ice cream," Minako concluded with a smile. She nudged the blonde who had yet to say anything. Usagi was staring out the window nibbling at the caramel ball atop the stick in her hand. The elbow pushed Usagi's thoughts from her mind and out her mouth before she could stop them or remember what the topic at hand was.

"Or Mamo-chan."


	27. 31: Weapon

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#31: Weapon  
Lillie Bell

Disclaimer: I'm a poor graduate student, I'm a slave to my department, I have no money. If you sue me there's not much to have... All I have that's worth anyhting is a 3 year old computer and a ring (heehee.) I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

Mamoru had learned early on, before he bent his knee and put the ring on her finger, that Usagi had power over him. Well, Usagi had power over the _universe_. Without the channeling power of the ginzuishou, however, she still had power over him. In very few things did he disagree with her simply because she would eventually turn him to her side even if it was illogical. It certainly hadn't been his fantasy to run through the streets of Tokyo in a tuxedo. But it could have been worse. She at least didn't have any carnal desire for Speedos and tights; Clark Kent had it rough. 

Clearly, from his long-standing relationship with one Tsukino Usagi, now formally know as Chiba Usagi, and once known as Her Grace the Princess Serenity, the man had learned the levels of weaponry the blonde would unleash upon him. And as she was standing there, going through the routine, he counted them off as they came:

The childish glare that he had _dared_ disagree with her.

The coquettish smile that meant the wheels were turning and spelled out: _You will acquiesce._

The debonair aura would fade and she would be plastered to every part of his body she could reach. There were days he'd arrogantly let her come to this point in order to take advantage of the situation. He would never admit it to her, though; for fear that it would fall from her repertoire.

The seductress would fall away to the childish nature once again and he would get the pout. Leaving her to pout for a minute, she would then up the anti and her bottom lip would tremble. If he looked to be at the breaking point, she would lean in close to him and start to widen her eyes. This was the precursor to the dreaded puppy-dog look that usually caught him by the mouth—hook, line, and sinker.

Today, however, he was putting his foot down. He had made it to the puppy dog look and was wondering what was awaiting him after a full ten minutes of staring at her big, bubbly eyes looking up at him with so much innocence that he knew better than to believe. Why, just the other night, she had—

In a flash of light, he stared at the princess of a millennium ago. He stared at her dumbfounded, but more than happy to take in the way the dress fit her like a glove. She very rarely went into any form, so he took the opportunities afforded him. She noticed his attention and a dangerous smirk came to across her face. Mamoru held his ground, though he could quickly feel dread overcoming his need to preserve his dignity.

Two days later, Mamoru walked into the arcade with lavender hair. Motoki sneered at him and whistled. Only one word need escape his lips: "Whipped."

* * *

I'll admit that while I find most of my stories cute, this is the first one that had _me _cracking up at the end. I know a few people who always appreciate a lavender-haired Mamoru (:cough: Arashi-chan :cough:) and I had an inkling to include it in at least one of my drabbles. This wasn't at all what I had in mind, but I still think it's funny. Hopefully the next set will be a little more serious again, as these were all silly and that's not really a realm I'm familiar with.  



	28. 71: Quiet Despair

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#71: Quiet Despair  
Lillie Bell  
Words: 876

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon

* * *

_Thump…thump… thump-thump…thump-thump…_

Usagi rocked harshly against the toilet lid, her back knocking against it as the lid slid forward and then back with her anxious movement. She halted abruptly when the sound of it echoed through her ears as that of a heartbeat. With shaking hands, she tightened her grip around her knees and pulled her body into a tighter ball. She could no longer hear the pseudo-rhythm of her rocking, but that of her own beating heart filled her ears. The constant sound tapped against her skull and resonated through the sudden emptiness of her soul.

Her dilated blue eyes stared forward at the taupe wall, mutely recognizing its peeling. She had planned to wallpaper the small bathroom, had planned to do a lot of things. She had started a mental list two weeks ago and in one hour the list was torn to shreds. Her hopes and dreams were on that list. She buried her face in her knees. Not to mention the trust of her husband.

The ghost of a breath left her lips at that thought, her entire body dropping in temperature. A cold, grievous chill tapped down the vertebrae of her spine finger-walking from her neck to her tailbone. _He would know, undoubtedly he would know._ Their insurance only supported the university hospital and she would be damned if the ER doctor didn't recognize her last name. She wiped a cold, clammy, shaking hand over her sweating face. And he would want to know why he hadn't known; why no one had known what she had just confirmed two weeks ago.

She wasn't sure what was pressing upon her soul more… his disappointment in her, or her own in herself.

_Barely over three months…_

The thought grasped her rapidly beating heart, chilling her body further. Sweat matted her brow and she stared ahead, lost in the sea of guilt. She had thought her worst hardships, her greatest losses, to be when Galaxia had taken everyone away from her. She thought the world had ended when they were gone and she gave herself to bring them back. Now, she understood the other side; when the one sacrificed was not she. She was the one left behind now, the one left to live her lonely life through while it, though dead, was presumed to be without suffering.

Her teeth chattered and everything, including the room, ceased its movements. _It…_Cold air stung her paper-thin lungs as dry lips crinkled and opened unwillingly to bring in the breath needed to sustain her. Her lids closed over distant blue orbs, crusty from the constant staring.

_Barely three months…_ not enough for a heartbeat or a gender or a name. Hardly enough for a spinal cord. Her breath hitched. It wasn't even necessary for her to come back in order to pass _it_, only for a check on how well she did. _Was it even enough for a soul?_

She opened her dull eyes when the sound of the door closing came to her ears. Her senses heightened, she could hear every foot fall like a hammer upon her soul. She had not cried at all, simply stared at the doctor, then the escorting nurse. Had stared the entire way home until she slipped upon the toilet seat and turned to the taupe wall. She thought she would be sick, but even that seemed to be beyond her. She did nothing but stare at the wall and think of all the plans she had made, the greatest being to surprise him for his birthday in the coming week.

She had not cried, she was not sick and retching into the toilet, she simply stared. The foot falls slowed as they reached the bedroom and she heard the door creak open hesitantly. Her soul flew into her throat, choking her as her eyes stared above at the ceiling. Her dry eyes started to glisten and she struggled to keep her body from shaking. Nothing was worse than this moment. _Nothing_, and she felt his eyes upon her through the open bathroom door.

Her eyes drifted to his and she truly did choke on the dislodged soul. Bile rose and tears began a quiet cascade as she stared into his blue depths. Though better than the taupe wall, she was crushed at his expression. It was his attempt to be expressionless, to hide from her the emotions raging inside him not from anger, but from the understanding that she was hurting herself enough over it. And she cried; long, mournful sobs that shook her soul and body to the core, and covered her body in tears instead of sweat. She cried because even now he tried to protect her and she could not accept his love so willingly. She could not accept his forgiveness for what she did, and what did not happen. For what they could have had and she had not even shared with him for the small time available to them.

Yet, she still could not turn her eyes away from him and could not stop herself from pleading through them for comfort. So when his arms came around her, she grabbed him tightly, burying herself in his warmth. She sobbed harder, convulsing, into his sterile scrubs in self-hatred because she was distraught for abusing him one second and having the gall to demand his love the next.


	29. 1: Chocolate

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#1: Chocolate  
Lillie Bell  
Words: 467

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon

* * *

Mamoru was digging through his closet, deciding what to wear after their mutual shower, when the sound of whimpering caught his ear. He strode into the bathroom to find Usagi in a puddle of hair on the floor. Her legs were bent, knees touching, and he could make out small pieces of the pink towel wrapped around her body.

He came around to see her fully and knelt to her level, adjusting his own towel in order to do so. He caressed her solemn face and she leaned into his hand but did not look at him.

"I gained weight," she said stricken, as if she were saying she had an incurable disease.

The smirk made its way upon his face before he could stop it and she chose that exact moment to look at him. She frowned and he felt his heart contort as his lips began to move. "Maybe it's all those éclairs and milkshakes and triple servings you eat."

At least he had tried to say it in a joking manner. After all, her waist was so small to him that she was upset over a few pounds was nearly laughable. Much to his amazement, though, the sulking Usagi suddenly turned into one with a vengeful gleam in her eye. An altogether freak smile alighted her face that reminded him mostly of Robespiere during another enlightening engagement with the French upper class.

"All right Mr. I-exercise-everyday," a wolfish smile, complete with the first line of teeth highlighted by glittering canines, finished her phrase, "and sometimes a few times at night."

She pulled him up from the floor with her and in one quick motion had his towel off of him and he was standing on the scale surprised at the sudden draft. He was wondering where these skills of incredibly speedy undressing were born from, as he certainly hadn't seen them in use before today.

"Usa…" he started but was finished off by her squeal of joyous victory. Confused he looked down and read the scale. And read it again. And again. And again.

As he continued to scrutinize the number, shifting his weight to make the numbers roll by the pointer and give him reason to believe the scale was not at all accurate, his wife pranced happily around him. Quieting her revelry, she poked his flat stomach and distracted him from his study of the accuracy of the balance.

"Maybe you shouldn't be eating all that chocolate in the cabinets, Mamo-chan!"

Luna, who had been sitting on the floor after using the cat box, simply shook her head as he ran after his squealing wife. Of course, she may have been trying to get the heat out of her face at seeing Mamoru displayed in all his glory, chocolate fat and all.


	30. 43: Shipwreck

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#43: Shipwreck  
Lillie Bell  
Words: 149

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

Usagi pressed her forehead to the cold tabletop, burying her head under her arms. She groaned horribly and appeared to be pretending she was dead all ready. Perhaps death was a more fitting end to the woman who had forgotten her anniversary and scheduled a meeting with her group at school in order to finish a project. And, of course it would work out that she scheduled the meeting on the only night Mamoru had free that week.

The girls circled the groaning woman, some patting her back reassuringly.

"Sounds like you're up the boat without a paddle," Minako offered her thoughts.

"That's up a _creek_ without a paddle," Ami amended.

The blonde simply shrugged. "Who cares, you're still shipwrecked."

A high-pitched, dramatic sob issued from the bundle of arms and hair. The girls sighed and nodded sadly, agreeing with Minako. Mamoru would just have to wait, it seemed.


	31. 62: Rainbow

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#62: Rainbow  
Lillie Bell  
Words: 206

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon

* * *

They say rainbows are a natural phenomenon. A simple play of light passing through and changing energy that causes a different color to be portrayed. Suddenly blue is red or purple or green. She always thought it most amazing the yellow tints within a rainbow. 

She twirled and watched the rainbow follow behind her.

Rainbows were exotic and rare and beautiful. Even the hardest of hearts melted at the wonder before them. The girl's giggles rang out as the rainbow circles danced around her in their small, compact colors.

She stopped for a moment and watched the flashes of colored light settle around her. Rainbows were her best friends now, following her like obedient butterflies of winking light. It was something special, knowing she had this power, though every woman in her state did as well. She marveled that so many could accomplish the same task but few seemed to try.

With one last twirl, soaking in the joy of being encompassed in sparkling hues, she made her way out of the sun to sit in the shade. As she snuggled into her husband's side she marveled at the diamond on her finger. A simple prism contained a secret world of beauty only she appreciated.


	32. 52: Protector

Little Moments: 100 Themes  
#52: Protector  
Lillie Bell  
Words: 409

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon

* * *

As the wind whipped around her, teasing her hair over the edge and driving her skirt into her face, Usagi checked her watch one last time.

_6:15_

She looked beyond the city, shielding her eyes, to see the sun just starting its descent and the sky turning the slightest red hue. The wind roared as she stepped closer to the edge of the tall building. She smiled at its sudden anxiety. She put out her hand, floating it in the wind's breeze that pushed over her, and closed her eyes.

_Tell him…_

She stepped over the edge and the wind could no longer reach her between the tall buildings of the silent wharf. She put out her arms as the fall sent air rushing past her. It was amazing how refreshing this feeling was and a small smile came to her lips as she began to pick up speed.

_5…_

She could hear the seconds ticking by on her wristwatch. They pounded through the sound of rushing wind around her, reminding her of the short time before the pavement would capture her in its stony embrace.

_4…_

Between the buildings and out of the sun's rays, the air began to cool her skin. Even the small sweat that had started at the exhilaration from the fall was turning cold at the sudden drop of temperature due to her speed and loss of sunlight.

_3…_

She thought for a moment that this action might not be fair to her loving husband. It was not his fault she had taken the plunge. Still, her smile grew larger as she felt a familiar jolt within her soul.

_2…_

She swallowed and knew that the pavement was nearing at a breakneck speed. _This is it._

_1_

Satin wrapped around her and encased her in warmth before she was righted and collected completely into a strong embrace. She was flying up immediately, and she opened her eyes to see a perturbed masked face. She giggled and snuggled closer to her husband as he carted her off to their apartment. Tuxedo Kamen sighed and held the small bundle closer, warming her chilled skin.

"You're so sexy, Mamo-chan," she whispered before kissing his hairline just behind his ear. His frustration melted instantly, expelled with the breathed he was holding.

_What the woman would do to see him in his tuxedo…_

He chuckled and wrapped her in his cape as they made their way into the sunset.


End file.
